What Happened to Black Lives Matter?

The Black Lives Matter organization (BLMGNF) was founded in 2013 in response to the acquittal of George Zimmerman for the murder of Trayvon Martin. Its slogan quickly swept across the nation and provoked thousands of “mostly peaceful” protests against racially motivated police brutality.

Money problems

• In May 2021, co-founder Patrisse Khan-Cullors resigned after the New York Post revealed that the self-proclaimed Marxist had spent millions on real estate across the U.S., putting into question how the organization spends its funds.

• When she resigned, Khan-Cullors appointed two activists, but they publicly announced that they had not taken the jobs due to disagreements with the organization.

• In July 2021, BLM transferred millions to a Canadian charity run by the wife of Khan-Cullors to purchase a $6.3M mansion in Toronto.

• The 10 original Black Lives Matter chapters (BLM#10) claim “most chapters have received little to no financial support from BLMGN since the launch in 2013” despite BLMGNF disclosing that it ended 2020 with $60 million in its bank accounts.

• The current leader of BLMGNF is unknown.

Legal concerns: The BLMGNF failed to properly file taxes for 2020 and did not disclose how it spent its $60 million bankroll.

Turning on Itself: Following these incidences, BLM#10 put out a statement of grievances against BLMGNF, highlighting the structural disorganization, hoarding of community resources, and lack of accountability. They encourage supporters to donate directly to chapters rather than the global organization.

Legal Action: Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, and Virginia have all revoked BLMGNF’s charitable registration.

• Citing a lack of financial transparency, California and Washington are demanding that BLMGNF stop taking donations. The states are also threatening to make individual leaders personally liable.